The invention relates to the technical sector of means for filtering the water in a swimming pool basin.
It is known to use, for the filtration of the water in a swimming pool basin, independent members in the form of compact units incorporating on the one hand the filtration means and on the other hand the pumping means for the suction and delivery of the water. In general, these units comprise a compartment which is immersed in the water and shaped so as to be in communication with that water by means of at least one orifice known by the name of SKIMMER. This compartment accommodates, internally, the various filtration means of any known and appropriate types. The other compartment accommodates the pumping means to allow the suction and delivery of the water in the basin by means of a system of appropriate pipes. The compartment accommodating the pumping means is situated outside the basin of the pool. The two compartments can be linked by attached members or constitute a unitary assembly. In the majority of cases, this unit is shaped in cross section so as to straddle the walls of the basin of the pool.
This unit is therefore intended to be attached and installed after the construction of the pool basin as such. Thus, the suction and delivery pipes between the filtration and pumping means pass above the upper edge of the wall element in question. This type of unit may be illustrated, by way of indication and implying no limitation, by the teaching of Patent FR-A-2544857.
Likewise known are panels or flights designed to perform the functions of filtration, suction and delivery of the water and intended to be installed on panels constituting the whole of the basin of the pool.
This state of the art may be illustrated by the teaching of Patent Application WO 96/12075 which relates to a filtering panel for a swimming pool. This panel is presented in the form of a compact unit consisting of two internal compartments separated by a vertical partition. One of the compartments is arranged to be filled with water and possesses filtration means. The other compartment accommodates means of suction and means to deliver the water in the basin in combination with the means of filtration. This compartment is intended to be positioned outside the swimming pool. The filtration compartment is connected to the water in the basin and has fixing arrangements with panels which make up the walls of the basin of the swimming pool.
It is apparent from this state of the art that the suction and delivery of the water in the basin of the pool, in conjunction with the filtration means, take place either by means of attached units intended to be installed after production of the basin of the pool, or by means of units intended to be integrated with the panels constituting the basin of the pool.
The problem which the invention proposes to solve is that of providing an assembly allowing the suction and discharge of the water in a pool basin in conjunction with filtration means which can, as desired, either be attached after the production of the basin of the pool or be incorporated at the time of production of the basin of the pool.
In order for this type of unit to be able to be attached, either straddling the walls of the basin of the pool or integrated with the panels constituting the basin of the pool, it was necessary to solve the important problem of leaktightness between the pumping and filtration compartments, it being emphasized that it is out of the question for the water located in the immersed filtration compartment to be able to pass into the outside compartment accommodating the pumping means.
Specifically, although the problem of leaktightness is less important in the case of a unit intended to straddle the walls of the pool, this is not so if that same unit is intended to be mounted in juxtaposition with the adjacent panels of the basin of the pool. In the event that the unit straddles the walls of the basin of the pool, it is automatically raised by the presence of the suction and delivery pipes between the two compartments. In other words, the space separating the two compartments is located above the upper water level of the basin.
On the other hand, when the unit is mounted in conjunction with the adjacent panels of the basin of the pool, but without extending vertically above them, it is necessary to lower it by the distance corresponding to the height of the free space between the two compartments for the passage of the suction and delivery pipes. Such a free space is located very substantially at the level of the water in the basin with, consequently, obvious risks of water passing into the pumping compartment.
Thus, in Patent Application WO 96/12075, it is not possible completely to exclude the risk of water passing accidentally into the pumping compartment. In actual fact, there is no complete leaktightness between the filtration compartment and the pumping compartment. A space exists above the wall which separates the said compartments. This space is necessary in order to enable air to circulate freely so as to cool the pumping compartment.
Having regard to the stated problem to be solved and the constraints to be observed, this compact filtration unit for a swimming pool basin is noteworthy in that:
the two compartments transversely define a cross-sectional profile suitable for straddling the walls of the basin of the pool,
the filtration compartment in communication with the water in the basin possesses arrangements for securing it to panels constituting the walls of the basin of the pool,
the two compartments are separated by a leaktight wall to prevent the passage of the water from the filtration compartment into the pumping compartment, in such a manner as to make the said pumping compartment leaktight compared to the filtration compartment.
the separating wall possesses arrangements for leaktight connection to suction pipes and delivery pipes connecting the filtration means to the suction and delivery means;
the pumping compartment is in communication at its rear part with a duct which is in communication with the outside air;
the two compartments are sealed by a removable lid which possesses, at the level of the duct, a plurality of perforations in order to place the said duct in communication with the outside air.
Having regard to these arrangements, the result thereof is that the means of suction and delivery are therefore dry in the pumping compartment, ventilation thereof being provided by the duct and by the perforations formed within the thickness of the removable lid.
In order to solve the stated problem of perfect integration of the unit at the time of assembly of the panel of the basin, the lid is shaped at its end on the filtration compartment side to ensure continuity with the coping of the basin of the pool.